Tube cleansing apparatus



June 2, 1964 B. E. BALDWIN ETAL :$135374 TUBE CLEANSING APPARATUS Filed May 24, 1961 2 sheets-sheet 1 June 2, 1954 B. E. BALDWIN ETAL 3,135,274

TUBE CLEANSING APPARATUS Filed May 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Illinois Filed May 24, 1961, Ser. No. 112,254 6 Claims. (Cl. 134-147) This invention relates to an apparatus for cleansing small-bore tubes and has particular utility in the removal of grit and other materials from the lumens of cannulae after theendsof such cannulae have been ground.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a highly effective apparatus for simultaneously and uniformly cleansing a large number of small-bore tubes so that the lumens of such tubes, as Well as the outer surfaces thereof, are free of all particulate matter. Another object is to provide a cannula cleansing apparatus in which the problem of inadequate cleansing by reason of the dampening of ultrasonic energy is fully overcome. Y

Other objects will appear from the specification and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a broken perspective view of an apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a broken rear view of the apparatus;

FIGURE. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIGURE 2; l

FIGURE 4 isan end view of a needle or cannula cup illustrating the action of the cannulae upon rotation of the cup.

Ultrasonic cleansers are known in the art and have found use in the Vwashing of surgical instruments and other equipment requiring a high degree of cleanness for use; VEssentially, such a cleanser comprises a solution- -tilled tank equipped with anelectronic oscillator which oscillates voltages at'a high frequency and a transducer which converts the electric impulses into high frequency waves in the washing solution. The high frequency compression and decompression phases results in a rapid and thorough washing of the surfaces of the articles exposed to the liquid. g

Despite the usefulness of ultrasonic Cleansers for the washingof instruments and other equipment, such cleans- 'ers, as known and used in the art, have been found generally unsatisfactory for the washing ofyquantities of cannulae or other small-bore tubes. If a bundle containing several hundred cannulae is'supported in the tank of a conventional ultrasonic cleanser `it has been noted that only a small part of the entire bundle will be thoroughly y cleansed, presumably because ofthe energy-dampening effects arisingfrom the multiplicity of surfaces. The present invention is speciiically concerned with a solution to this problem, as embodied in the method and apparatus disclosed herein.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral generally designates a tube washing apparatus comprising a tank 11, a plurality of inclined rods 12 having their lower end portions sloping downwardly into the open-topped tank, rod support and retainer members 13 and 14, means 15 for v rotating the rods, and tube or cannula receptacles 16 carried by the rods.

As shown in FIGURES l, 3 and 4, each cannula receptacle or container is cylindrical in shape and has an open upper end. The lower end of the cup-shaped receptacle is closed by a porous element 17; in the illustration given, such element constituting a tine-mesh screen having openings too small to permit cannulae 18 to drop therethrough.

Each receptacle or container 16 is detachably connected adjacent its upper end to the lower end of an inclined rod ice 12. Referring to FIGURE 3, it will be observed that rod 12 is bent and that its upper and lower end portions 19 and 20 are offset but parallel. It will further `be observed that these portions are offset a distance substantially the same as the radius of cylindrical container 16 and that the container is co-aXial with the straight upper portion 19 of the rod. An annular bearing member 21 is secured to the rod intermediate the extremities of upper portion 19. Directly above the annular bearing member and similarly co-aXial with the upper portion of the rod is a sprocket 22. i

The rods 12 are rotatably supported by the horizontally-elongated rod support 13. In FIGURE 3 it will be seen that the rod support is of irregular cross section, having an inclined chain-supporting surface 23 adjacent its upper rear end and a forwardly and upwardly inclined shoulder portion 24 near its lower forward' end. The upstanding shoulder portion 24 `is provided. with upwardlyopening and horizontally-spaced recesses or notches 25 for rotatably receiving the inclined rods 12 (FIGURE l) Downward movement of the rods is limited by contact between the opposing facesof shoulder 24 and annular bearing members 21.

The rod support member rests upon a ledge 26 and, in the illustrated embodiment, is also affixed by bolts 27 to vertical end plate 28.A The rod retainer member 14 is in turn connected by screws 29 tothe rear face of the support member. The retainer member is provided with a forwardly and upwardly inclined upper portion 30 having upwardly-opening bayonet slots 31 rotatably receiving the upper ends of the inclined rods 12. The rods bear upwardly within the slots in response to downward forces acting upon the lower ends of the rods. Detachment of the rodsV may be achieved quickly and easily by simply depressing the upper end of each rod, then urging it laterally and upwardly to withdraw it'frorn the retaining slot 31.

The means 15 for rotating the rods comprises a motor 32 bolted to end plate28, a drive sprocket 33 carried by motor drive shaft 34, an idler sprocket 35 at the opposite ends of Athe tank, and an endless chain 36 entrained about the drive and idler sprockets and passing horizontally beneath the upper ends of rods 12. As shown in FIGURE 1, chain 36 operatively engages the rod sprockets 22 so the support member 13px-events the upper stretch of theV chain from sagging and insures proper engagement between the chain and sprockets 22. A similar support 37 may be provided along the back'wall of the tank for `supporting the lower stretch of chain (FIGURET 3).

A detachable interconnection between the cup-shaped containers 16 and the rods 12 is achieved by providing the lower end of each rod with an axial notch 38 for receiving the edge portion of a container and by providing a springloaded locking pin 39 which passes through aligned apertures in both the rod and the container. Spring 40, secured at its upper end to the upper portion 19 of the rod and aflixed at its lower end to pin 39, urges the pin into the locking position shown in FIGURE 3. By simply lifting the free end of the spring, pin 39 is withdrawn from the apertures of the rod and container to disconnect the parts.

The components for producing the ultrasonic waves comprise an electronic oscillator or generator 41 and a plurality of transducers 42. In the illustration given, the transducers extend along the bottom wall of the tank; however, it is to be understood that other suitable locations might be provided. Since the ultrasound-producing components are entirely conventional and since their construction and operation is well known in the art, a further description of these elements is believed unnecessary herein.

As a first step in the operation of the apparatus, containers 16 are partially filled with the cannulae to be cleaned. It has been found that highly effective results are obtained when the containers are about three-quarters filled although considerable variation in the extent f partial loading is permissible. It will be observed that the cannulae are positioned with their pointed ends facing upwardly towards the open end of the container, the purpose being to permit particulate matter to fall downwardly away from the tips as well as to prevent dulling of the cutting edges of the cannulae. All of the cannulae in each container extend in the same direction and, because of the partial filling of the container cavity, are free to roll over each other as the container is rotated.

The partially filled containers are then connected to the lower ends of rods 12 and the rods are fitted into place within the recesses of support 13 and the slots of retainer 14. When motor 32 is operated, chain 36 drives the rod sprockets 22 so that each of the inclined containers is rotated about its longitudinal vaxis within the body of liquid contained within tank 11. The liquid may be any suitable washing solution and its level is indicated by the broken line 43 in FIGURE 3.

The high frequency compression and decompression waves produced by ultrasonic transducers 42 pass through the imperforate metal side walls of the cylindrical containers and into and about the cannulae adjacent such side walls. Presumably because of the large number of disconnected surfaces provided by the multiplicity of cannulae within each container, a damping of energy occurs within the container cavity and the ultrasonic vibrations in the central or axial portion of the container are so weak as to be generally ineEective in cleansing the internal and external surfaces of the centrally-disposed cannulae. As each container is rotated, however, the cannulae shift about with a rolling or cascading action and the centrally-disposed cannulae migrate outwardly into the peripheral regions of the cavity Where the ultrasonic vibrations are strong and highly eective in dislodging particulate matter and in cleaning the cannulae surfaces. At the same time, the thoroughly cleansed cannulae near the cylindrical side wall of the container migrate inwardly towards the central region of the cavity (FIGURE 4). Particulate matter dislodged from the external surfaces or from the lumens of the cannulae falls downwardly through the inclined container and passes outwardly through the screened bottom wall 17.

While in the foregoing an embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in considerable detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by Ythose skilled in the art that many of these details may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim: 1. A cannula cleansing apparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain a body of cleansing liquid, means operatively associated with said tank for producing ultrasonic Waves in said liquid, a cylindrical open-topped container disposed within said body of liquid and adapted to be partially filled with a plurality of parallel cannulae, said open-topped container having a substantially cylindrical imperforate side wall and being provided with a bottom wall in the form of a fine-mesh screen, an inclined rod rotatably supported upon said tank and having the lower end thereof projecting downwardly into said body of liquid, said lower end of said rod being connected to said cylindrical container for rotating the same about an inclined rotational axis within said liquid when said rod is rotated and without obstructing the flow of fluid through the open top of said container, and driving means provided by said apparatus for rotating said inclined rod.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said container is detachably connected to said rod.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which said rod is removably supported upon said tank.

4. A cannula cleansing apparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain a body of cleansing liquid, means operatively associated with said tank for producing ultrasonic waves in said liquid, a cylindrical open-topped container having a lower end wall with a plurality of openings extending therethrough and adapted to contain a plurality of axially-oriented cannulae partially filling said container, said cannulae having their pointed ends disposed adjacent the open top of said container and being confined within said container for rolling movement over one another and for radial migration When said container is rotated, means supporting said container in said body of liquid with its axis extending along a non-vertical line, said supporting means being connected to the side of said container for supporting the saine without obstructing the flow of fluid through the open top and the opening-providing lower end Wall thereof, and driving means for rotating said container about its axis.

5. The structure of claim 4 in which said container is supported by said supporting means with its longitudinal axis lying along an inclined line of rotation.

6. The structure of claim 4 in which said container is detachably connected -to said supporting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A CANNULA CLEANSING APPARATUS COMPRISING A TANK ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A BODY OF CLEANSING LIQUID, MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID TANK FOR PRODUCING ULTRASONIC WAVES IN SAID LIQUID, A CYLINDRICAL OPEN-TOPPED CONTAINER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID BODY OF LIQUID AND ADAPTED TO BE PARTIALLY FILLED WITH A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL CANNULAE, SAID OPEN-TOPPED CONTAINER HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL IMPERFORATE SIDE WALL AND BEING PROVIDED WITH A BOTTOM WALL IN THE FORM OF A FINE-MESH SCREEN, AN INCLINED ROD ROTATABLY SUPPORTED UPON SAID TANK AND HAVING THE LOWER END THEREOF PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID BODY OF LIQUID, SAID LOWER END OF SAID ROD BEING CONNECTED TO SAID CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER FOR ROTATING THE SAME ABOUT AN INCLINED ROTATIONAL AXIS WITHIN SAID LIQUID WHEN SAID ROD IS ROTATED AND WITHOUT OBSTRUCTING THE FLOW OF FLUID THROUGH THE OPEN TOP OF SAID CONTAINER, AND DRIVING MEANS PROVIDED BY SAID APPARATUS FOR ROTATING SAID INCLINED ROD. 